Salmond’s monkey business shouldn't surprise anyone

PLAYING the man and not the ball is always Alex Salmond’s favourite tactic. Thus, his decision yesterday to liken Alistair Darling to a “monkey” shouldn’t really surprise anyone, even if it does reveal a politician under intense strain.

Oh sure, Mr Salmond didn’t use the “m” word but by insisting that he’d only debate with the “organ grinder”, in the shape of David Cameron, he made plain what he thought of the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and one of this country’s longest serving MPs.

And I dare say we can look forward to a lot more of the same from the First Minister as this referendum campaign enters its final year.

Insulting his opponents is an old Salmond-trick, such as recently when he claimed that Mr Cameron was anti-Scottish for opposing independence, and whilst abusing Mr Darling in the way he did yesterday may engender a fit of sniggering from his uber-loyal supporters I can’t imagine that it will do much for the “Yes” campaign with undecided voters. The SNP leader is already seen as a bit of a liability with parts of the electorate – especially women – but is now banking on winning the support of what some of the polls suggest is a raft of “Don’t knows”. Will they flock to his banner after the performance we saw on the BBC’s Sunday Politics yesterday? If that kind of abuse is to be the hallmark of the SNP campaign, then we really are in for a very dirty fight indeed.

And whilst we’re on the subject of that debate he’s demanding with Mr Cameron, I read somewhere yesterday that he thinks the Prime Minister is “afraid” to face him. The immediate thought that occurred to me was: Why would anyone be afraid to debate with Alex Salmond?

I have seen every set-piece debate he’s done since the dawn of devolution and he hasn’t won one of them; in fact I know 10-year-olds who could give him a run for his money. Oh sure, he’s good at insults (see above) and is not bad at glib one liners in parliamentary and other exchanges and he fairly revels in running rings round London-centric interviewers who haven’t done their homework and who treat him with the deference due to foreign potentates.

But set-piece debates? It’s just not his forte. And far from being afraid, all that Cameron is saying is what he’s always said – namely that this is an issue that will be decided by Scots and therefore should be debated by Scots.

So, if anyone is afraid in this row I don’t think it’s the Prime Minister. It’s Wee Eck who’s scared of Big Al.

The Nats were taking comfort yesterday from the number of “don’t knows” in another barrage of polls but their attitude was a bit like seeking shelter under a handkerchief during a thunderstorm; it may make you feel better but you still get soaked.

There may be lots of voters out there who say they haven’t made up their minds but the undeniable fact amongst those who declare a preference is that those who want to break up Britain are still losing the argument – massively.

To make that leap from “don’t know” to supporting the end of the UK is a huge ask – especially when it’s Alex Salmond doing the asking.

And talking of polls, the one that’s set the Nats’ hearts all-aquiver is that done by Panelbase which suggests a significant diminution in support amongst those opposed to independence. But in an article in the same newspaper – The Sunday Times – the polling company’s managing director, Ivor Knox, made what to my mind was a remarkable admission about his methodology.

He said his company “weighted” the outcome of their latest survey to take account of the results in the 2011 Holyrood election, which saw a sensational – in every sense – SNP victory. I find this remarkable because I don’t know of anyone – Nats included – who reckons that such a result can be repeated.

Mr Knox also reveals that if the 2010 general election results – in which the SNP did not nearly so well – were factored in support for the “No” campaign was more than double that of the poll published yesterday which had used the 2011 voting figures.

He concludes that “there is a debate to be had about which (the 2010 or the 2011 result) is more likely to produce an accurate result for the referendum question”.